The ship was HMS Bellerophon, nicknamed BILLY RUFFIAN (11A/14A), whose BATTLE honours included THE GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE, THE NILE and TRAFALGAR and whose most famous passenger was NAPOLEON who surrendered to her after Waterloo. Her final role was as a prison HULK (23D). Title: having 74 guns she was a ‘third-rate’. First prize D.C.
The unclued lights can precede or follow ROYAL. The preamble should have read: Seven unclued lights (two of two words) follow and four precede a word defined by the title. Doc apologises for the error. First prize Andrew Bell, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Runners-up C.R. Haigh, Hassocks, W. Sussex; Paul Elliott, London W12
Associations with BLACK were 7 SABLE, 25 BOYCOTT and 32 SOMBRE; with CUR 6A RASCAL, 14 VARLET and 20 WRETCH; and with RANT 1A HARANGUE, 15 TIRADE and 24 RAIL. First prize Brian Taylor, Horwich, Bolton Runners-up Laura Gould, Shrewsbury; A. Tucker, Winchester
The unclued lights can follow QUEEN’S, all of which are verifiable in Brewer. First prize Fred Rainbow, Birmingham Runners-up Andrew Durham, Billinghurst, W. Sussex; Sandra Speak, Dursley, Gloucestershire
The unclued Across lights are synonyms or a meaning of BACK and are therefore entered backwards in the grid. The unclued Down lights are synonyms of UP and are therefore entered upwards in the grid. First prize Adam Branscombe, Fulbourn, CambsRunners-up Joanne Aston, Norby, Thirsk; Susan Bell, Reeth, N. Yorks
The unclued lights comprise the seven themes (here in upper case) and six theme-words beginning with A to F. ARTISTS: Andy Warhol, Banksy, Canaletto, Dali, El Greco, Fragonard BATTLES: Anzio, Boyne, Cannae, Dunbar, El Alamein, Flodden CAPITALS: Athens, Berlin, Caracas, Doha, Edinburgh, Freetown DOGS: Airedale, Beagle, Corgi, Dachshund, Elkhound, Fido EQUINES: Arkle, Bidet, Clydesdale, Desert/Orchid,
Don BRADMAN (26) said, ‘When you play test cricket you don’t give Englishmen an inch’. The other unclued lights are: CUMMINS (12), URN (27), ASHES (13), and STOKES (32). AUS/ENG, in the seventh row, should be highlighted. The title is taken from the same Bradman quotation. First prize Roger Mills, Emsworth, Hants Runners-up Nigel Finlay,
‘THE HORROR! THE HORROR!’ (4D/18A/3D) is a quotation from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, author of THE SECRET AGENT (9D). The protagonists are MARLOW (31D) and KURTZ (21A) and the tale was told in a YAWL (24A) called NELLIE (26D). Title: abbr. KN = heart of DARKNESS. First prize James Smalley, Walthamstow, London E17
The unclued lights yield five phrases in German, all listed in one of the appendices in Chambers 13th edition: 1A, 17&31, 19D&18A, 37&30 and 43&29. First prize Diane Saxon, Stockport Runners-up Patrick Macdougall, London SW6; Martin Plews and Anne Greenwood, Horsham, W. Sussex
The unclued lights are first names of authors known by their initials: W.H. Auden (31), A.S. Byatt (40,2), T.S. Eliot (7,10), C.S. Lewis (35,6A) and P.G. Wodehouse (34,4). First prize Marcus Clissold-Lesser, Ramsgate, Kent Runners-up Jenny Mitchell, Croscombe, Somerset; Alison Gillam, Knotty Green, Buckinghamshire
The unclued lights (including the pair at 4/41) are the friends of Winnie-the-Pooh in the books by A.A. Milne. First prize Fred Rainbow, Birmingham Runners-up Adam McNaney, Oxford; Val Urquhart, Butcombe, Somerset
The unclued lights are F1 RACE TRACKS which include the pairs at 15 & 16 and 36 & 26. First prize Christine Rees, Cowlinge, Suffolk Runners-up Dorothy Mulvenna, Bay Horse, Lancaster; Richard Lawn, Coventry
The combined fleets of France and Spain met that of England at TRAFALGAR (13) on 21 October 1805. Vice-Admirals NELSON (30) in the VICTORY (27), and COLLINGWOOD (16dn) faced Vice-Admiral VILLENEUVE (19), in the BUCENTAURE (12), and Admiral GRAVINA (22). A COLUMN was later erected in Nelson’s honour. First prize Jamie Thomson, Hungerford, Berks Runners-up
The eight unclued lights comprise four symmetrically placed ‘cycling pairs’, as cryptically hinted at by the title. First prize Abi Williams, Newton Abbot Runners-up Richard Warren, Coventry; Pam Bealby, Stockton on Tees
The WORD-BUILDING series is: eat (40A), tare (8D), cater (37A), recant (11A), certain (27A), canister (2D), nectaries (3D), transience (19D), incinerates (1A). First prize Christine Rees, Cowlinge, Suffolk Runners-up Mark Humble, Beercrocombe, Taunton; Graham Westmore, Sibsey, Lincs
Unclued lights are pairs of words as referred to in the UK and US: 1A/28, 10/26D, 14/40, 24/41 and 36/7. First prize Jeremiah Carter, Cambridge Runners-up Geoffrey Goddard, Hastingwood, Essex; Lucy Robinson, Oxford
‘SWEAR’ ( 31D) is uttered thrice by the ghost of King HAMLET (3D) who was the victim of ‘MURDER MOST FOUL’ (37A/34D/9D) where his FRUIT (14A) grew (his orchard). His son, whose tragic friend was OPHELIA (36A), addresses the ghost as ‘OLD MOLE’ (18D). See Hamlet I.v.145-162. First prize Cathy Staveley, London SW15 Runners-up Mick
The list of 21 letters comprises abbreviations, listed in Chambers. First prize Alan Norman, Impington, Cambridge Runners-up Peter Chapman, Edinburgh; David Tatarata, London WC1N
Unclued lights all follow MAGIC. (41A MOUNTAIN and 42A FLUTE should be preceded by ‘The’). First prize Ronnie Hind, Llandygwydd, Cardigan Runners-up Deirdre Hartz, Medstead, Hampshire; Stephen Rice, London SW1
MADRIGAL (the compiler) is linked by MAD (completing words phrases: BRAINED, COW DISEASE and WORT), RIG (meanings: SWINDLE, EQUIP and ARTIC) and AL (abbreviation for: ALABAMA, ALUMINIUM and ALBANIA). First prize Will Devison, Shaldon, Devon Runners-up Don Thompson, Bolton; Phillip Wickens, Faygate, W. Sussex